Don Raddatz

Donald "Don" Raddatz, 94, passed away peacefully the evening of Wednesday, October 16, 2019, in Lake Mills, Iowa. A memorial service will be held at 1 p.m. Saturday, November 2, 2019, at St. John Lutheran Church in Redwood Falls. Burial will follow at Redwood Falls Cemetery. Visitation will be held one hour prior to the memorial service at St. John Lutheran Church. The son of Herman and Wilhelmine (Rossow) Raddatz, Donald A. Raddatz was born May 3, 1925, in Paxton Township, Redwood County. He was baptized in the Christian faith at St. John Lutheran Church (Redwood Falls) in May 1925 and also confirmed there May 28, 1939. He attended school in Paxton and Redwood Falls and grew up living on and operating the family farm. He then worked in sales and management for agricultural and industrial companies such as Badger Northland Inc., Wood & Conn and A.O. Smith Harvestore. He was united in marriage to Minnie "Min" Fluegge of New Ulm November 14, 1948, at St. Paul's Lutheran in New Ulm and they lived in Redwood Falls. Don and Min were blessed with four children: Mark, Mary, Jayne and Joyce Melanie. As entrepreneurs, Don and Min owned and operated several businesses together, including a concrete products manufacturing and Ready-Mix business in Trimont and the New Ulm Motel. After selling those businesses and then living in Clearwater, Fla., for five years, they moved to the Minneapolis metro area, where he started his own Life & Health Independent Insurance business until retiring in his 80s. His greatest pleasures in life were his family, his church, their wonderful travels, horses and Minnesota Twins baseball. He was also very active in conservative politics for many years. He had a quick wit, loved to tell stories, and always had the answers to various trivia questions. He is survived by his loving wife of 71 years, Minnie, Lake Mills, Iowa; three daughters, Mary Jones, Sioux Falls, S.D.; Jayne (Terry) Ringham, Lake Mills; Joyce Melanie (Charles) Christianson, Golden Valley; son, Mark (Dawn) Raddatz, Harrisburg, S.D.; 12 grandchildren; 10 great-grandchildren; sister-in-law, Delores Fluegge, Braham; many nieces and nephews, and extended family members. Don is preceded in death by his parents and his three sisters – Linda Raddatz, Ellen (Carl) Spalding, and Edna (George) Hinz.